BANGKOK, December 30. /TASS/. The ceasefire in the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia still isn't on solid ground, and the parties to the conflict need to make sure it lasts, Caretaker Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.
"The ceasefire is still fragile and it needs to be made to last. Actions that provoke or create misunderstanding must be avoided as they could undermine the ceasefire," The Nation newspaper quoted him as saying.
Phuangketkeow was commenting on the results of a trilateral meeting between China, Thailand, and Cambodia held in China's Yunnan Province on December 28-29, which discussed extending the ceasefire beyond the 72-hour period agreed upon by the parties to the conflict. The Thai Foreign Minister stressed that diplomatic channels between the two countries remain open and should be used to resolve misunderstandings should incidents arise.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire effective 12:00 p.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on December 27 following the third special meeting of the General Border Committee of the two countries.
Clashes involving small arms on the Cambodia-Thailand border began on December 7. On December 8, Thai ground forces reported that Cambodian troops had begun shelling Thai positions in the border area. The Thai Air Force responded by attacking Cambodian military infrastructure. Twenty-three Thai soldiers were killed in the clashes. According to the Cambodian Defense Ministry, 31 civilians were killed and at least 87 others were wounded as a result of the shelling in Cambodia.